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Tram tour hop-on-hop-off

Discover the hop-on hop-off tour buses in Lisbon + 7 benefits

When you're short on time, the hop-on-hop-off bus might be a lifesaver for your holiday in Lisbon. The hop-on hop-off tour buses are convenient, fast and relatively cheap. What can you expect from the hop-on-hop-off bus in Lisbon? Let's have a look!

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Discover the benefits of LisbonΒ΄s hop-on-hop-off buses

A quick overview

What to see?Β The easiest way to discover Lisbon

Costs?Β From € 21,00 per person

Where?Β Lisbon

Worth it?Β If you don’t have much time and wish to visit all Lisbon sights with ease, then absolutely!Β 

The hop-on-hop-off buses in Lisbon

It might be the most touristy way to explore a city, but if your time in Lisbon is limited, the hop-on-hop-off bus tours are incredibly convenient! There areΒ three companiesΒ to choose from, which are theΒ Lisbon Sightseeing – Gray LineΒ (red bus),Β City SightseeingΒ (red bus) and theΒ Yellow Bus (bright yellow!). They offer different routes but with a lot of similarities. So depending on what you want to see, you can pick the hop-on-hop-off bus in Lisbon that is right for you.

Advantages and disadvantages

LetΒ΄s then look at some of the benefits and disadvantages of hop-on-hop-off buses in Lisbon.

Benefits

  • A convenient way to explore the city
  • Good value for money
  • Buses drive regularly
  • It brings you to all the major sights in Lisbon
  • Valid for 24 hours
  • Free Wifi on board
  • Discounts for many attractions, restaurants and shops

Drawbacks

  • Mass tourism at its finest
  • Buses can be crowded in the high season
  • Buses don’t drive to hidden gems
  • Many up-sales
  • The commentary on the busses isn’t great

The routes of the hop-on-hop-off buses in Lisbon

Each bus has a choice of routes such as; BelΓ©m and Oriente, BelΓ©m and Castle, BelΓ©m and Cascais, 1 Line + 1 Boat etc. Depending on the route you choose, the buses stop at all main attractions such as Mercado da Ribeira (Time Out Market), Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, Torre de BelΓ©m, MarquΓͺs de Pombal Square, Museu do Azulejo, Cais do SodrΓ©, and Portas do Sol.

The bus to Cascais will take you along the coast, and it stops in places like Estoril, BelΓ©m, Guincho, and Boca do Inferno. The audio tours are in different languages, such as English, German, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, and Chinese.

Tip: bring your own headphones for quality and hygiene!

Prices

Most buses offer aΒ 24 or 48-hour ticket, and theΒ price starts at € 21,00. This is fantastic value considering the number of sights you’ll drive to and compared to other cities! It’s more expensive than public transport, but if you want to visit theΒ Santa Justa Elevator and ride Tram 28, it’s well worth getting a hop-on-hop-off ticket. These attractions charge a higher fee than a regular public transport ticket.

Children under sixΒ can enter the buses for free, and older children pay a discounted price.

Extra options and times

The hop-on-hop-off tickets come with many add-ons. The tram tour, for example, is delightful as it is less busy than Tram 28 and dedicated to tourism. You can extend the route to Cascais, add a tram tour, or a boat tour.

The buses run every 25 minutes between 9 am and 7 pm in the summer. The times are slightly different in the winter, and they run between 9:30 am and 5 pm.

Get your tickets today!

Yellow Bus

Multiple routes are available to the major sights in Lisbon and BelΓ©m. Including access to Carris Lisbon Public Trams and discounts to national monuments.

Lisbon Sightseeing - Gray Line

Hop-on-hop-off for 24-hour or 48-hours. Discover different routes in Lisbon, BelΓ©m, Cascais and other locations.

Yellow Bus +
Boat Tour

Not only will you discover Lisbon by bus, but a boat tour on the Tagus is also included! Enjoy the views over the hills of Lisbon and the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge.

Hop-on-hop-off including Tram Tour

A visit to Lisbon isn’t complete without a ride on a historical tram! With this 72-hour ticket, you’ll enjoy the bus routes and a ride with a tram, boat and public transport system.

Hop-on-hop-off bus or Lisboa Card?

Another popular option to discover Lisbon is theΒ Lisboa Card. If youΒ΄re in the city for a very short time, the hop-on-hop-off bus will give you much value for money for one or two days. YouΒ΄ll be driven everywhere, and getting around Lisbon is super easy.

If you wantΒ more freedom, a heap ofΒ discounts, and if you have a bit more time, the Lisboa Card might be a better value. With the Lisboa Card, you canΒ travel free with public transportΒ (but not with the hop-on-hop-off bus). In addition, you also getΒ discounts for many sights, tours, attractions, and restaurants. For example, you can visit the azulejo tile museum, the coach museum, the JerΓ³nimos Monastery, Torre de BelΓ©m, Lisboa Story Centre, and Elevador de Santa Justa entirely for free! So if you plan on visiting any of these sights, the Lisboa Card will give you more value that day.

Conclusion

The hop-on-hop-off buses are fantastic for discovering Lisbon. Especially if youΒ΄re short of time, taking these buses will quickly get you from point A to B! Would you use the hop-on-hop-off buses in Lisbon? Will you use the hop-on-hop-off bus in Lisbon, or do you prefer to use theΒ public transportΒ system in Lisbon? Let me know your favourite way in the comments!

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Written by Marga

Written by Marga

Content creator, travel writer and photographer

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I’m Marga, the blogger and photographer behind this site! I live in Lisbon, and I’m a cat-mum to 13-year-old Savage. I love coffee, cheese, a good book and exploring this beautiful country. I write about Lisbon and the rest of Portugal, and I hope this website will help as an inspiration for your holiday.

7 Responses

  1. The bus tours do look like a great way to see Lisbon if you want to see the tourist sites. I’m more of a get off the beaten path person so not sure I’d love it but maybe for a day!

  2. I love discovering a city on foot, but a hop on hop off bus can be practical if you don’t have a lot of time for exploring or if you can’t walk that far, but still want to explore.

  3. I love hop on hop off buses. They are such a great introduction to a new city. I haven’t done the Lisbon bus – but am sure I will when I get there.

  4. Hop on hop off buses get a lot of hate but I really think they are a great introduction to a new city, especially for those who can’t walk too far or only have a short amount of time! Will definitely look at trying one when I finally get to experience Lisbon!

  5. Thanks for sharing a detailed guide on using the hop-on, hop-off buses in Lisbon. It seems like the perfect way to get around. I’ll keep this article in mind for our trip there!

  6. I LOVE hop-on hop-off buses! They are really considered to be quite “touristy”, but I find that when I arrive at a new destination, it is simply a great way to get to know the place better super fast! Great info on the Lisbon card as well, such a great city – so much to do! That was really helpful!

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